Notice to Centre on PIL for 33% quota for women in Parliament

New Delhi, September 5

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre on a PIL seeking reintroduction of the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2008, which provides for 33 per cent quota for women in Parliament and state Assemblies.

Terming it as “an important matter”, a Bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna told petitioner National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) to give a copy of the petition to the Centre. The Bill was not passed despite promises, and its primary objectives had been publicly supported by the mainstream political parties, including the present regime, the NFIW submitted.

The election manifestos of the political parties such as the BJP, Congress, AIADMK, DMK, Shiromani Akali Dal, CPM, Biju Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, and the Nationalist Congress Party have included the promise of passing the women’s quota Bill, it pointed out.

“Although the equality of the sexes is enshrined in the Constitution, it has not become a reality even in the 75th year of Indian Independence,” it submitted.

Women represent almost 50 per cent of the population of India but their representation in Parliament is only about 14 per cent. Therefore, vigorous affirmative action is required to improve the condition of women, the petitioner said.

It said reservation for women in panchayats was an apt example to show that women elected under the reservation policy invested more in public goods closely linked to women’s concerns, thereby increasing the distribution of resources in favour of women.

“It has been 25 years since the first Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 1996, and the government has time and again provided frivolous reasons for the delay in passing of the Bill. It is submitted that the main reasons quoted by the respondent (government) for not passing the Bill needed further consideration and consensus between political parties,” the NFIW contended.

PIL on loss of border territory rejected

• The SC on Monday rejected a PIL seeking directions to the Centre to put out information on alleged loss of territory during skirmishes on the India-China border
• These were not matters for the court, the top court said
• “Border skirmishes, invasions are all within the policy domain, nothing to do with Article 32… all acts of state,” a Bench led by CJI UU Lalit told the petitioner, Abhijeet Saraf

Reply sought on pleas over uniform laws

• The SC has sought the Centre’s response in three weeks to petitions seeking a direction to the government to frame religion and gender-neutral uniform laws
• The laws were sought or divorce, adoption, guardianship, succession, inheritance, maintenance, marriage age and alimony

Extension for ED chief: Amicus curiae appointed

• The SC on Monday appointed senior counsel KV Viswanathan as amicus curiae to assist it in petitions challenging a law allowing extension of tenure of the ED Director up to five years
• The other issue in the SC is the one-year extension granted to ED present Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra
• A Bench led by CJI UU Lalit posted the matter for further hearing on September 12